...I can't tell you what to sell and how to tow the line
and when to just give up."
Well, at least that's how I feel at the moment.
We all come to crossroads, and despite the fact that it's a very trite metaphor, it's a true one.
I found myself in that all too familiar situation of the recent breakup, and although breaking up with someone and one's career path seem to be unrelated, in the case of those of us who think too much, the lack of such a successful distraction as a lukewarm relationship can prove to be very eye-opening. You wake up single and think, "Now what have I forgotten to do since I started dating him?" My particular answer to that question was, "Oh yeah. You forgot to get out of your 5-year rut."
My rut has to do mostly with my lack of satisfying employment or a satisfying post-graduate degree. Sadly, this rut has also left me destitute and unable to do whatever I please with my time and job search and education.
So comes the crossroads. Do you stagnate here in a land of carpet mills and outlet malls or do you take a risk and try it out someplace else. Well, obviously the latter is the best choice. But it's much more easily said than done. Because many more questions arise. Where do you go? What do you do about work? What if Grandmother gets worse and the folks need your help? How in the name of all that is holy do you afford it? Hmm..Tricky.
I know I will figure it out and I know all will be well, and I'm not asking advice or pity. I just wonder what others would do in this situation. English degree, allergic to teaching, trying to finish a book that you can't focus on because you're too worried about money...Tricky indeed.
So I thus embark on the great coming of age moment that has been much delayed for me. Y'all bear with me.
Aaron, you've created a blogging monster. It was the Storm Trooper. Had to be.
Here's a nice little video of The Drive By Truckers. In lieu of "Easy on Yourself," their song that I quoted (couldn't find an embedable one), here's one of "Never Gonna Change." Enjoy the beautiful Southern grit.
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Oh, sweetheart -- I come equipped with many funny pics. I guess I'll have to 1up the ssccchhhwinging Storm Trooper next week.
ReplyDeleteAnd welcome to Blogger. I knew you could do it. This is what motivation is all about. :D
How do you like this blog? We had create this while we were in INTEC.
ReplyDeleteAaron - I shudder to think what could 1 up the Storm Trooper
ReplyDeleteKrishna - Oh my God. That had to be a major pain. You had to do it? Ick.
Pure, unadulterated, absolute torture. We had to do this, a free website, and something else.
ReplyDeleteSomething I'm still realizing is how many jobs are out there that I'm totally unaware of; growing up somewhere like Calhoun can make the world seem awfully small and the options pretty limited. So exploring your choices is a good place to start. I do a lot of reading, searching, and talk to people who have jobs I'm unfamiliar with. Of course, I'm still searching too.
ReplyDeleteAnd going to another country is always a good way to have some down time away from the "real world." Other countries, once you get there, are a lot cheaper to live in and might provide that time for the novel writing.